December 31, 2012
     Whoo-hoo, how about those Redskins!  Sorry Dallas Cowboys, but you are losers.  RG3 and company are going to the Playoffs!  Whoo-hoo!
     Have a Happy New Year.

Cheers,
Phyllis



December 28, 2012
    The Windchase Jumping mini-clinics are starting up right after New Year’s!  The first one will be Sunday January 6, unless the Redskins have a play-off game that day, in which case it will be Saturday January 5.  If you wish to be included on my mailing list for these clinics, drop me an email at pwindchase@aol.com.  For more info, click here.

Cheers,
Phyllis



December 25, 2012
     Merry Christmas!
     I generally say that White Christmases are over-rated; snow and cold always make for more work around the barn.  But I do have to admit that the Christmas Eve snowfall yesterday afternoon it was beautiful and peaceful.

     I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a New Year filled with joy.

Cheers,
Phyllis



December 14, 2012
     Last night the Geminid Meteor shower coincided with clear skies and a moonless sky.  I stood out in the frosty night, watching the show that the heavens put on.
     It was a perfect night for starwatching; crisp, clear, and quiet.  I walked around the edge of the lake (hoping I didn’t miss my step in the dark and fall in), with the frozen grass crunching beneath my feet, my steadfast dogs by my side.  The warm glow from the windows of the house was mirrored in the lake, along with the Christmas lights.  I watched the reflections of the brightest stars in the water, and then turned my gaze upwards to the constellations, hanging in the sky like old friends.
     Orion the Hunter was rising in the eastern sky, hanging above Canis Major (the Big Dog) and that brightest of stars, Sirius.  Cygnus the Swan soared above the horizon, and high overhead the orb of Jupiter shone radiantly among the horns of Taurus.

     I watched the shooting stars, spellbound.  Some streaked boldly across the sky in a blaze of glory, while others were faint, a mere puff of light, like a whisper.  Seeing the meteors flash across the vaulted sky made me feel small, an insignificant speck in the universe; yet at the same time I felt grand, lucky to witness such a splendid spectacle that had been going on since time immemorial, and will still be going on long after we are all gone.  It made me think back to when I was a child, contemplating the age-old questions: Stars and space - do they go on forever?  And if not, what is beyond them?  
     Ah, isn’t the universe grand?

Cheers,
Phyllis



12/12/12
     How cool of a date is that?     
     Winter is here, but the weather has not been too bad so far.  We have been enjoying getting to school the young horses cross-country in December, not something that happens every year.   

     I went to Colorado Springs last week for the USEA annual convention, which was held at The Broadmoor.  It is a fabulous resort, though a bit on the expensive side for me.  Practically every tree on the grounds was lit with white lights at night, which was spectacular.  It was a good meeting; David O’Connor introduced his plan for training the High Performance riders, and a terrific sense of excitement was evident all weekend.  It will be exciting to watch and see what the future brings for the U.S. Equestrian Team.
     And now, time to get into the Christmas spirit!

Cheers,
Phyllis



November 21, 2012
     Happy Thanksgiving!     
     I am thankful for living on such a beautiful place as Windchase, and for the people and animals around me.  I am very thankful for the great group of trainers, and working students who help make this farm so special.  I am thankful for my good friends, and for a close-knit family, most of who are visiting this week.  I am thankful for riding good horses over beautiful countryside.  For the loyal lurchers at my side, the yellow kitties that sleep on my bed at night, and for RG3.  I am thankful to be able to offer a safe haven to the deer, the wild turkey flock that roams the fields some thirty strong, and the wild geese landing on the lake at sunset.  And of course, I am thankful or the servicemen and women who keep us safe and free - may they have a safe and warm Thanksgiving themselves, hopefully in the company of loved ones.

     This seems an appropriate time to thank my excellent staff for all they do at Windchase.  How lucky I am to have such a great group of people around me!

     Jineen Reed, as well as being a dear friend, has been an integral part of Windchase since the beginning twenty-five years ago.  She keeps everything running smoothly, and is outstanding at troubleshooting and veterinary care.  She is an excellent dressage rider and trainer, and without her Windchase would not be nearly as special.

     Cindy Anderson-Blank has been with us a year now, and has stepped into the role of Windchase’s rider and trainer and done a fantastic job.  She is an exceptional rider, doing a great job on every type of horse – and a wonderful instructor as well.  We are so happy to have her as part of the team.

     Heidi Wardle has been with us five years now, and is an important part of the operation.  Riding, teaching, guiding the working students in the barn – she does it all really well.  Heidi recently posted some insights into her progression at Windchase on her blog; read it at:  http://takeachanceinva.wordpress.com/.

     We are lucky to have an exceptional group of Working Students at the moment.  Rachel, Jessica, Hannah and Tori all work hard, ride well, and do a super job in the barn and with the horses.  I am very lucky to have such an efficient and dedicated group of students staffing the barn.

     Kenny Popkins continues to keep the farm looking great.  Mowing, weeding, repairing fences and stalls, building cross-country jumps – these are just a few of the things he does.  With 70 horses on the farm there is always something broken, and Kenny is largely responsible for fixing it.

     And of course, Windchase itself is a special place; there always seems to be a sort of magic attached to this spot on the earth, full of peace and beauty.  Horses and people are usually happy here, and it is a haven for wildlife.

Cheers,
Phyllis



November 15, 2012
     Windchase finished up the Event Season with good outings for the young horses at both Waredaca and the November Start Trials at Loch Moy.  Astrana moved up to Novice at Waredaca, placing fourth with Cindy.  Aquilla, Phoenix Star, Warrior Queen, Soul of Venus, Sundowners, and Bling all competed successfully at Beginner Novice at Loch Moy, with Cindy and Heidi riding.  Look for these promising youngsters on the Horses for Sale page.

     I have been having a lot of fun riding my new horse from Ireland, Kilcooley.  He is green, but feels amazing to ride, and is a real horse for the future.  We have an exciting group of homebred three-year-olds that we broke in this summer, and we will get more serious with their training this winter as they turn four.  The more experienced competition horses have had a bit of a break after their last Event, but they will soon return to full work as well.  So we have quite a variety of nice horses in work, and plenty to keep us occupied.
     I will be starting up the winter Jumping Mini-clinics before long, more on that later.  Right now I am busy getting ready for Thanksgiving, as most of my family will be here for the holiday.  I expect to be cooking for 30!

Cheers,
Phyllis



October 30, 2012
     We are still here!  Fortunately everyone here at Windchase made it through the storm safely.
     In case you haven’t heard, we have been having a wee bit of weather here along the East Coast in the form of Hurricane Sandy.  This mega-storm was 800 miles across, bringing damaging winds, torrential rains, and heavy snows at higher elevations.  The weather forecasters had given us plenty of time to prepare for extended power outages, and we were ready.  

     When the center of the storm passed through north of us last night, we got over six inches of rain and sustained high winds, but it was not as severe as it might have been.  It is still raining and cold, but we did not have any major damage, and the worst conditions are now past.  Purcellville was hit harder than we were; Windchase is nestled in between Short Hill Mountain and the Blue Ridge, and the mountains blocked the worst of the winds.  We did not lose our electricity (so far, knock on wood!), but over six million homes are without power in the wake of the hurricane.  Our thoughts go out to everyone up around New York, where the conditions were much worse than here.

Cheers,
Phyllis



October 28, 2012
     The autumn weather the past week has been beautiful, and it has been fun to get out and enjoy it.  Jineen and I snuck off to Sugarloaf Mountain for a day of hiking on Tuesday, which was really lovely.  I have often admired this mountain’s silhouette from Loch Moy or Morven Park, so it was nice to finally climb to its summit.
     Then on Wednesday I had an opportunity to go kayaking on the Potomac River with my friend Mary Kimm, which was simply amazing.  Mary is an experienced kayaker, but she was nice enough not to laugh at my bumbling paddling skills too much.  The surface of the water was like a mirror, and the autumn foliage was in full color.  It was incredibly peaceful and beautiful.  We got quite close to numerous great blue herons, as well as seeing an assortment of ducks and a cormorant.  But the highlight of the trip was watching a pair of bald eagles as they flew above the river and perched in the trees.  They are incredibly majestic birds, and it is always special to get to see one.

     But now the weather has turned, and Hurricane Sandy is coming!  This mega-storm is moving up the coast and they are saying we are going to have torrential rains and high winds for the next two days.  And oh, they just issued a Blizzard Warning, so we may get heavy snow!  Lots of tree damage, flooding, and long term power outages are pretty much a certainty.  We have filled the generator gas cans, battened down the hatches, and are prepared to ride out whatever the ‘Perfect Storm’ may bring.  See you on the other side!

Cheers,
Phyllis



October 25, 2012
     We have been enjoying a charmed Event season with glorious weather and near perfect footing for each competition weekend, and last week was no exception.  We took a whole crew of horses and riders to the starter trial at Loch Moy, and most of them went really well.  
     Cindy won divisions of Beginner Novice with Pat and Jim Bewley’s Warrior Queen, and also with Pedro Gutierrez’s Astrana de la Galerna.  She was also placed 2^nd on my homebred Phoenix Star, and was also 3^rd in the Elementary on Karin Harper’s Soul of Venus.  Not a bad day!
     Working students Hannah Milne moved up to Training level on Scooter, bred by Karin Harper, and the pair jumped around the course like pros.  Tori Rosenblatt also had a super ride in the Training with her Aileron.

     I won an Elementary division with Sundowners, and was also in the ribbons with Bling in her first completion.  I had a particularly fun time doing my first competition since having a shoulder joint replacement earlier this year, and I rode around with a big grin on my face all day!  Jessica Gebbet had good goes with Gandara de la Galerna and Elan, with both mares moving up and jumping clean around their first Novice.  Look for all of these on our Horses for Sale page.

     The other exciting news is that my new horse from Ireland arrived.  When Jineen and I visited the Emerald Isle on vacation in August, we found a lovely four-year-old gelding by King’s Master (by Master Imp).  It took a while to get all the details sorted out, but he finally shipped from Ireland and arrived at Windchase recently.  He looks to be super talented, and has a wonderful personality.  I look forward to putting him into training and seeing what he can do!

Cheers,
Phyllis



October 15, 2012
     Another lovely Eventing weekend, this time at the Maryland Horse Trials at Loch Moy.  Congratulations to Cindy; she had a super ride in the Open Intermediate with her own Windsor, jumping double clear and finishing 8^th.   

Cheers,
Phyllis



September 26, 2012
     The starter trial at Seneca Valley last weekend was a great outing for the young horses.  It is a great venue for getting the youngsters out in a competitive but still relaxed atmosphere, and once again we had perfect Eventing weather.  
     Our two new Irish mares from Mexico went really well, with Astrana winning the Beginner Novice with Cindy, and Gandara placing 3^rd in that division with Jessica.  Heidi was also 3^rd in BN with Elan.  These horses are all now very confirmed at this level and will move up soon.  Emma Dixon was also well placed on Stella.

     It was a great first outing for the Windchase four-year-olds.  Cindy placed 2^nd in the BBN with Angel, and also had good rides on my two fancy homebreds, Aquilla and Phoenix Star.  Heidi was in the ribbons with Sundowners, who went like a champ at his first competition.  Look for all of these talented youngsters on our Horses for Sale page.

Cheers,
Phyllis



September 21, 2012
     We had a beautiful weekend for the Seneca Valley horse trials last weekend, and the horses went well.  Highlights included Cindy placing in the Open Preliminary with both River Star and Windsor.  Peerless also went nicely for Cindy in the Novice, and Hannah was in the ribbons on the enthusiastic Jump for Joy.
     As you may remember, we were saddened when Lucky the Duck passed away this spring, but now, we are happy to announce that Windchase has some new additions.  Mom and I went to the Clarke County Fair a few weeks ago (which was a real hoot by the way, with farm animals exhibits of every description, a Ferris wheel, barrel racing, calf roping, bull riding, and a tractor pull competition) to shop for ducks.  After intense negotiations with a nine-year-old boy (he asked $20 a piece and we paid it) we came home with two lovely white Peking ducks – we named them Jewel and Venus. Never ones for moderation, we then went on Craig’s List, where we found three Rouen ducks and two grey Chinese geese.  (It was important to get some geese, because there are only two hundred or so wild Canadian ones living on the lake.)  

     So now we have this tightknit group of five ducks and two geese, swimming together on the lake and roaming the yard.  They are quite tame, and like to follow people and dogs about.  In the evenings I call them and they come quacking and waddling up the hill, and go into the chicken house for the night.  When I let them out in the morning, I generally find they have left me several eggs, which are delicious by the way.

     The weather has cooled off, and it has been in the forties at night recently, so the water has gotten too cold for my evening swims.  But it is still nice to sit by the side of the lake at sunset and enjoy the evening.  How lucky I am to live in such a magical spot!

Cheers,
Phyllis



September 11, 2012     
     The Event season is in full swing, and we had a lovely time at the Maryland Horse Trials this past weekend, with near perfect weather and ground conditions.  Cindy jumped a great double clear in SJ and XC on River Star in the Open Preliminary, and it is exciting to watch this talented Windchase homebred progress.  Hannah Milne did a super job with the little grey mare Jump for Joy (bred by Karin Harper), placing second in the Novice.  Guy DeCorte’s Irish horse Tulla Gold went well for Heidi, placing 7^th in the Training.  Heidi also had an excellent ride on Vito DelVento’s homebred Hanoverian mare Elan, who made her Eventing debut in the Beginner Novice.  Emma Dixon was also 4^th in the BN on her talented mare Stella, and Tara Swersie had a good run with Whiskey Tango.  So all in all, a successful weekend for the Windchase horses and riders.  Much thanks to the folks at Loch Moy for putting on such a super Event!

     This morning was especially beautiful, with a crystal clear blue sky and a cool nip in the air.  While I was schooling one of the young horses in the outdoor arena, I suddenly remembered what day this is.  Where were you when it happened?  I was riding in the same ring on another exceptionally lovely morning much like this one, eleven years ago, when I heard the news.  Like all who remember that fateful day, I will never forget, and never be quite the same.

Cheers,
Phyllis



Sept 5, 2012
     One of the things I have been really enjoying this summer is swimming in the lake almost every evening.  I have always enjoyed a dip in the pond on a hot day, but after the derecho storm earlier this summer, when the power was out for a week and it was over a hundred degrees, I got in the routine of ending the day with a nice long swim at sunset.  It would leave me feeling relaxed yet invigorated, and I have continued with the habit of taking an evening swim.  If friends and family members come too, then all the better. 
     Last Friday was particularly special.  It was the night of the full moon, and my friend Mary came out to join me for a swim, as did several of the working students.  Being August 31, this was the second full moon in the same month, which is known as the ‘blue moon.’  It was a beautiful clear evening, and we contentedly floated in the lake watching the sunset colors in the crystal sky deepen to dusk as we waited for the moon to rise.
     It turned out that the moon took longer than we had anticipated to come up over Short Hill Mountain.  Waiting, floating in the water, we watched the occasional bird flying overhead as the light faded.  But suddenly something went flitting by just above our heads - a bat!  To our delight, it was soon joined by a dozen others, skimming over the surface of the water, darting back and forth catching insects.  It was amazing to watch them. 
     Finally the moon peeked over the mountain, sliding up out of the trees, huge, bright orange, like the mountaintop was on fire.  As it topped the horizon, a group of Canadian geese flew across the sky, crossing in front of the moon before turning to the lake to come in for a landing.  We watched the moon as it rose free of the earth, and one by one the stars eased into view, competing with the fiery orb for luminosity in the darkening sky.  It was magical.

Cheers,
Phyllis



August 17, 2012
     Jineen and I had a fantastic time in Ireland.  We looked at horses and explored ancient castles and abbeys.  We climbed to the top of a mountain and went to the Connemara Pony Show in Clifden, Connemara.  We hiked up a mountainside and visited a chapel that was founded over fifteen hundred years ago by Saint Patrick.  We had dinner with friends, visited the pubs, went to the Millstreet Horse Show, and stood in a ‘fairly fort’ that probably originated 1000 years BC.  As I get time I will write up the full trip report and post it with photos, but it will probably take me several months to get it all done, so you will have to wait a bit for the full story.       

     So we are home now and back to work.  The young horses are coming along nicely, and the autumn Event Season is just around the corner.  Much thanks to Cindy and Heidi and the working students for looking after the farm and the horses so well while Jineen and I were away.

Cheers,
Phyllis



July 30, 2012
     I would like to offer congratulations to Haley Tucker for the purchase of Drifter.  It is with mixed feelings that I made the difficult decision to sell my favorite horse.  I really love Drifter and enjoy riding him, but since I no longer aspire to ride at the higher levels of Eventing (too many metal bits in my body for that), I felt it was unfair to hold this talented horse back.  He has gone to an up-and-coming Young Rider with high aspirations, and I look forward to seeing the two of them form a bond and move up through the levels together.  I am keeping one of my special homebreds by Windstar, a striking charcoal grey named Phoenix Star, to take his place.

     With a bit of a break from the events during summer, we are concentrating on getting the young horses going - I have three lovely Irish 3-year-olds to get started.  They have moved into the stable to get civilized, while their yearling and 2-year-old friends continue to romp with carefree abandon in the pasture.

     And now it is time for some fun.  Jineen and I set out for a vacation in Ireland on Wednesday.  We expect to check out some horses, visit some castles, hike in the mountains, and have a few pints in the local pubs.  I can’t wait! 

Cheers,
Phyllis



July 26, 2012
     Windchase celebrated its 25 Year Anniversary last Sunday with a fun potluck party on the lawn.  Lots of friends were there, both old and new, and we had a great time.  For all those of you who were there, thanks for coming.  For those who couldn’t make it, we missed you!  The weather was great and the company was even greater.  
     Sean Bowman caught a massive fish in the lake, an algae-eating carp.  They won’t take go for bait, but this one accidentally caught its tail as on the hook as it swam by.  As Sean reeled it in and pulled it out of the water by its tail, his son Ian thought he had caught a mermaid!  The fish was happy to be released after having its photo taken.

     Congratulations to Cindy Anderson-Blank; she passed her USEA Instructor’s Certification Program Assessment at Level III.

Cheers,
Phyllis



July 21, 2012
     Representing your country in International competition is the experience of a lifetime.  I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to ride in the 24^th Olympic Games, in Seoul, Korea, in 1988.  As we lead up to this summer’s Olympics, I have been reflecting on my experiences in Seoul, and decided to share them with you.  Follow this link to read about my Olympic Memories. 

Cheers,
Phyllis



July 15, 2012
     Don’t forget our party; we are celebrating twenty-five years at Windchase!  All current and former clients, students, boarders and friends of Windchase, come join us for a potluck cookout next Sunday, July 22, from 2:00 pm until dark.  Click here for information on Windchase’s 25^th Anniversary Party.  Bring any old photos, stories and memories of Windchase in years gone by.  And bring  your shorts or swimsuit for a dip in the lake.  And don’t forget to bring food!  Looking forward to seeing you all.    

Cheers,
Phyllis



July 7, 2012
     One of the best parts of summer is ending the day with a swim in the lake.  My niece Stacy and her seven year old daughter Phyllis have been staying with us the last two weeks, and with the heat wave and power outage we have been spending at least an hour in the lake every evening.  The perspective from the surface of the pond is unique.  From in the water, the lake seems immense.  Whether actively swimming or lazily floating on a foam ‘noodle’, it is a great way to observe the nature around us.

     In the hot weather, we have been getting in the water about an hour before sunset.  The water at the surface is almost bathwater warm, but deeper down it is refreshingly cool, and there are definite cold spots where the water comes up from springs.  We paddle along watching dragonflies flitting over the water, and swallows catching insects, dipping and diving just above the surface.  Fish occasionally jump out of the water with a splash, and a pair of great blue herons can sometimes be seen flying high overhead on silent wings.  We listen to the chorus of the cicadas as we watch the sun set among the trees.
     There is a green heron that comes to the lake often, much smaller than his great blue cousins, and quite shy.  But he seems to be getting used to our swim sessions, and he has been coming nearer to us each evening.  He likes to perch in the branches of the poplar tree that is lying half in the lake, downed by the storm.  Yesterday he alighted on a limb just twenty feet from where we were floating and posed for us, silhouetted against the sky.
     The Canadian geese that inhabit the lake were wary at first, but they too are getting accustomed to our presence.  While we were swimming the other day a group of them took off into flight; they got a running start across the water straight at us, becoming airborne as they approached and passing just above our heads.  Then another group flew in for a landing, passing right over us before descending to the lake and gliding across the surface of the water.  It was amazing to watch - I have seen geese take off and land on the lake a thousand times, but never before from that perspective.       

Cheers,
Phyllis



July 6, 2012
     After exactly one week without it, our power is finally back on!  I realize now how much I had been taking my air conditioner for granted.  Three cheers for the guys from Dominion VA Power who finally got the electricity restored, so we are just about back to normal.  My internet is still down (sending this courtesy of the neighbor’s satellite dish), but that is scheduled to be fixed tomorrow.  Life is good!

Cheers,
Phyllis



July 4, 2012
     They call it a derecho, the type of severe storm that hit last Friday night.  Apparently it was a long front of severe lightning storms with sustained high winds.  We are now at five days and counting without power.  The temperatures continue to hover around 100 degrees.  The phone lines were repaired yesterday, but with no power, of course the answering machines don’t work.  The Dominion VA Power guys cut the tree off the power lines where it smashed the horse trailers, but the latest estimate we have for getting our power back is hopefully by next Friday, but likely as late as Sunday.  The heat is wearing us down.
     We have a generator at the barn that runs the pump, so at least we have water.  I also have a generator at the house to try and run the refrigerator and a few lights, but it is very temperamental, and I think it hates me.  It often cuts off for no discernible reason.  We can generally coax it into running reasonably well during the day, but it won’t work overtime, and when evening comes it absolutely refuses to start again.  
     My niece Stacy and her daughter Phylly are visiting the farm this week.  It is great to have Stacy’s help coping with the generators and preparing meals with no power; hopefully it won’t turn them both off of life in the countryside!  But we have enjoyed trail riding every day despite the heat, and Phylly, who just had her seventh birthday, is doing great riding Lilly.
     The Windchase working students and staff have been doing a great job.  The extreme heat makes their job harder, and with no power for air conditioning or cooking, coping in this weather is tough.  But they have continued to give the horses their usual excellent care with no complaints, and I really appreciate their great attitudes.  For those Windchase boarders who might be coming out to ride this week, if you want to do something to help, bring food or treats for the working students.
     Have a great Independence Day!

Cheers,
Phyllis



July 1, 2012
     Wow, what a storm.  A huge lightning storm with 80 mph winds and mini twisters ripped through Friday night, with the lightning strikes so close together that it was like strobe lighting.  I can honestly say it was the second scariest lightning storm I have ever been.  At one point during the worst of it, there was a huge crash of thunder simultaneous with a blinding lightning flash and a red fireball outside the window over the lake; it rattled the house, and felt and sounded just like the one when lightning hit the barn in 2008.  I dashed out in the storm in a panic to drive to the barn to see if it was still there, only to find the driveway blocked by the trees that had crashed down across the roadway and onto two horse trailers and the power lines.

     Fortunately the barn was still there, and no people or horses were hurt.  We never did find what that lightning had hit; I think it may have hit the lightning rods on the barn.  We have over fifty trees down, sadly including the huge poplar by the lake.  Fences smashed everywhere, and a huge hole in the indoor arena roof.
     We have no power, no phones, no internet service, and very little cell service.  Apparently there are still over 27,000 homes in Loudoun County without power, and they say it will likely take a week to restore it.  We still have downed power lines on the smashed trailer, though we can cautiously drive under the tree.  I am borrowing internet service from a neighbor with a generator, so if you need to contact me, try email, but I may not get to check it every day.  Hopefully order will be restored soon and we will get power and phones back. Until then, we are hanging in there, and spending a lot of time cooling off in the lake.     

Cheers,
Phyllis



June 22, 2012
     Twenty-five years at Windchase!  We are celebrating with a potluck cookout on Sunday, July 22, starting at 2:00 pm.  We are inviting all current and former clients, students, boarders and friends of Windchase to come join us.  Click here for information on Windchase’s 25^th Anniversary Party.

Cheers,
Phyllis